Why Aviator Financial?
No, Aviator Financial isn’t just for Pilots! So, why the name?
Flying and investing enjoy many parallels. Set a destination or a goal, consider your options, make a plan, and execute. At Aviator Financial, it’s how we operate.
Whether you’re shooting Coast to Coast in an airliner at 500 miles per hour or just skimming the fields and forests in your buddy’s single engine airplane, every part of aviation has an inherent amount of risk. A good pilot not only understands that risk, but is adept at identifying it, understanding it, assessing it and managing it. He or she also understands what level of risk is acceptable and when to stay on the ground.
Much is the same with investing. A good Financial Advisor is also able to identify, understand and assess risk. Just as not every flight is the same, nor is every client. Just like a pilot plots out a flight plan, a good Financial Plan will help get you where you want to go.
William E. Benner III
Bill Benner is the founder of Aviator Financial LLC and serves as President, CEO and Chief Compliance Officer. Bill has been helping clients achieve their financial goals since 2006.
In 2005, looking for someone to coach him on his own finances, Bill had a Financial Plan done. “I remember it well, says Bill, “They showed me where I was financially, helped me figure out where I wanted to go, and laid out a road map to get me there. I was so impressed, I said, ‘Wow, you can really help people doing this, can’t you?’ and the advisor answered, ‘Oh my yes, you can change people’s lives.’ On a whim, I asked, ‘Are you hiring?’ ‘Why?’ asked the advisor. ‘I like helping people and this looks like a pretty cool way of doing it!’”
The rest is history. Bill became an advisor with the firm and, after 12 years, left to form Aviator Financial.
Bill served 31 years in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s prestigious 193rd Special Operations Wing. He was an aircraft mechanic, First Sergeant, and Shop Supervisor and deployed 26 times in direct support of combat operations including 8 trips to the desert.
Now retired from the Air National Guard, Bill stays involved with aviation by volunteering with the Collings Foundation, which flies World War II vintage aircraft. He is also a member of the 307th Bomb Group Association, a group formed of WWII aviators, where he assists with their regular reunions. He is a Private Pilot with High Performance and Complex endorsements and earned his Seaplane Rating in Alaska.
Bill was one of the founding directors of the Perry County Chamber of Commerce, where he now enjoys Director Emeritus status. He has also served on the Centre Township Planning Commission. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Shippensburg University.
